Turkish foreign ministry issues tit-for-tat travel warning for US

Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a travel advisory on Friday recommending the country's nationals avoid visiting the United States after a similar move by Washington.

On Wednesday, the US Department of State launched a new travel advisory system for all states based on security conditions in each country. Within the framework of this system, Turkey has been listed in one group with Sudan, Pakistan and Guatemala, as countries with an "increased security risk" and US citizens have been advised to reconsider travel to such states.

"In the United States there is a growth of terrorist attacks and violence, as well as of arbitrary detentions of our citizens, and unlawful activities of authorities toward them. In this regard, we consider that it is useful to warn our citizens that it is advisable to reconsider their plans to visit the United States and we call for vigilance if such visits cannot be avoided," the travel advisory said.

Earlier in the day, Turkish media reported that Ankara had summoned Philip Kosnett, the US embassy charge d’affairs, to the foreign ministry on Thursday to voice anger over the diplomatic move.